Automatic mine-door



C. L. BOWMA! 1 AND 1.]. BODY, AUTOMATIC MINE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, L918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.,

, (11Cv flaw/4(2)? M! 61110144 m s 0.1. BOWMAN AND 1. 1. BODY.

AUTOMATIC MINE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. ms.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

311mm u row K 03 49 7, C] do: waif C. L. BOWMAN AND J. J. BODY.

AUTOMATIC MINE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1918.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Smewtb as MW Kw v f CHARLES L. BOWMAN, or cAN'roN, oHIo, AND JoHN J. BODY, or DANTE, VIRGINIA, AssIGNoRs, BY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro THE AMERICAN MINEDOOR COMPANY, or CANTON, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC MINE-noon.

To all whom it may oorcern Be it knownthat we, CHARLES L. Bow- MAN and JOHN J. BODY, citizens of the United States, residing at Canton and Dante, respectively, in the counties of Stark and Russell, respectively, and States of Ohio and Virginia, respectively, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Automatic Mine-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved automatic mine door and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character wherein the door will be opened by amine car approaching the door in either direction and wherein upon the passage of the car through the door, the door will be quickly closed.

The invention has as a further object to provide an improved arrangement of swinging counterweights for'closing the door and so arranged that when the door is open, one of the said weights will occupy a substantially horizontal position, thus exerting a direct leverage tending to quickly close the door, while, when the door is closed, the other of the said weights will occupy a substantially horizontal position to exert a cirect leverage tending to hold the door closed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein slamming of the doors will be minimized should'a mine car get out of control and run loose through the door.

I And the invention has a still further ob ject, in conjunction with the objectspreceding, to provide a construction wherein the doors will'be mounted to swing in opposite directions so; that pressure in the mine tunnel upon the doors will be equalized therebetween and wherein the doors may be manually opened easily by persons walking in the mine tunnel.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceds. In the drawings, wherein we have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate cor-' responding parts throughout the several views: V

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation ofour improved mine door particularly illus- Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented 1913, 2 1,

1918: Serial No. 243,931.

trating the mounting of the counterweights employed for holding the door closed,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the door showing the disposition of one of the operating bars employed with respect to one of the mine track rails,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33- of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows, this view showing the connection between the door sec tions, I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, this view showing one of the hinge elements supporting the operating bars, a

Fig. 5 is-a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the manner which the inclined sections of the operating bars are slid-ably supportedat their free ends,-

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing the shock absorbing springwhich is interposed in the connections between the operating bars and the door sections,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of the door,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical" sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view showing one of the hinge elements employed in connection with the modified structure for supporting the operating bars, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out the invention we employ a door frame 10 adapted to be erected in a mine tunnel or other lead, over a mine track conventionally shown at 11. The rails of thispostsand receiving'the inner longitudinal margins of the sections therebetween. At

their lower ends, the posts project below the bottom edges of the door sections and are formed with trunnions 16 while the upper ends of the said posts are formed with similar trunnions 17, these trunnions engaging within the bearings of the brackets 12 for swingingly supporting the door sections upon the frame. At their outer longitudinal margins the door sections overlap and are movable to closed position in engagement with each other. Secured to the projecting lower ends of the posts 14: are laterally projecting arms 18 and extending between the free ends of these arms beneath the rails of the track 11, is a bar 19 pivotally engaged with the said arms and connecting the door sections for simultaneous swinging movement in opposite directions.

Vi e shall now proceed to describe the operating mechanism for the doors. However, since identical operating structure is employed at each side of the door, the structure at one side oi the door only will be taken up in detail. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, we employ, at spaced points along the track 11, hinge elements each including a pair of spaced hinge brackets 20 secured in any approved manner to one of the ties oi the track and provided with laterally directed arms 21. Pivoted upon these arms are hinge members 22, each in the nature of a squared sleeve having spaced hinge lugs 23 projecting therefrom and embracing one of the arms 21 to be swingingly connected therewith by a suitable pivot pin extending througl the said lugs and the arm. nermost sleeve is disposed in a plane at the inner side of the rail B and projecting from the said sleeve is an arm 24. Slidably fitted through the sleeves and connecting the sleeves for simultaneous swinging movement is a squared shaft 25 held at adjustment by a set screw 26 upon one of the sleeves. is best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the shafts 25 of the hinge elements project laterally beyond the track 11 at one side there of and removably fitted upon the outer ends of the said shafts are arms 27 each formed at its inner end with a sleeve engaging the shaft and held thereon by a suitable set screw 28 threaded through the sleeve. Supported from the arms 24 of the hinge ele ments one side of he rail B is channeled operating bar which s formed of an inner section 29 and an outer section 30. This bar is, as particularly shown in Fig. 4, preferably made up of angle plates secured together to define the channel of the bar and projecting from the inner section of the bar adjacent opposite ends thereof are downwardly directed arms 31. At their upper ends these are formed with T-heads and are riveted or otherwise secured to the said bar section while the lower ends of the said arms are received between suitable hinge lugs upon the outer ends of the arms 24 of the hinge elements and are pivotally connected with these latter arms by suitable pivot pins extending through the arms and through the said lugs. At its inner end, the bar section 29 closely approaches the door section 13. At the outer end of said bar section, theT-head of the arm 31 secured thereto projects beyond the adjacent terminal of said section of the bar and has pivotally connected thereto the inner terminal of the bar section 30. The section 30 of the bar is thus swingingly connected with the bar section 29 and, toward its outer end, normally inclines downwardly therefrom to be supported at its free extremity by a roller 32 engaging beneath the bar section and carried by an angle plate 33 extending between a pair of adjacent ties of the track. This angle plate is mounted, as shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings, in spaced parallel re lation to the rail B so that the upwardly di-- rected flange of the platewill serve to retain the free end of the section 30 of the bar between the rail and the plate in alinement with the bar section 29. It will thus be seen that the hinge elements will support the operating bar for downward and outward swinging movement away from the door to lie flush with the rail 13 of the track.

onnected with the post 14- of the door section 13 adjacent the lower end of the said post is a laterally projecting grooved segment arm 34 and connected at one end to he segi'nent of this arm to fit within the roove thereof is a chain or other suitable flexible element The opposite end of this chain is, as shown in detail in Fig. 6. connected with a shock absorbing device; This shock absorbing device includes a stirrup or clevis 36 through the bight of which is slidably fitted a rod 37. iii its outer end this red is formed with a hook 38 for engagement through one of the links of the chain 35. Surrounding the rod within the stirrup is a helical spring 39 and thread ed upon the inner end of the rod is a nut gdjustable for tensioning the said spring. itxtending between the free end portions of the arms of the stirrup is a bolt or pivot pin 41 which is fitted through one of a series of longitudinally spaced openings formed through the outer end of the arm 27 associated with the inner hinge element or that one nearest the door for thus pivotal-ly connecting the said arm with the stirrup. tending between the free terminals of the arms of the stirrup is a second bolt or pivot pin 42 to which is connected at one end a rod 4.3. The opposite end of this rod is on gaged with a olevis l4. pivotally connected with the free extremity of the arm 27 asso ciated with the outer hinge element. Thus. it will be seen that when the operating bar means is depressed, the arms 27 will be simultaneously rocked rearwardly to pull rearwardly upon the stirrup 36. Such rearward pull will be communicated through the spring 39 to the rod 37 and thence to the chain to act upon the segment arm 34 for swinging the doors in opposite directions to open position. The spring 39 will, of course, tendto cushion the pull communicated to the segment arm sothat should a mine car getout of control and run loose to strike the operating bar for opening the door, the shock of the impact of the car against the said bar will be absorbed by the spring and slamming of the doors thus reduced to a minimum. As previously stated, the operating structure for the doors, as just described, is duplicated at each side of the door to extend in opposite directions therefrom. However, in this connection it will be observed that the structure at one side of the door is at one side of the track so that the operating bar of such structure is located adjacent the rail B while the operating structure at the opposite side of the door is disposed adjacent the opposite side of the track so that the operating bar of thelatter structure is disposed adjacent the rail A. Consequently, the segment bracket of the latter structure is connected with the post 14 of the door section 13. Such parts of the latter structure as have been shown, have'been indicated by the same reference numerals applied to the operating structure described in detail since the parts are identical.

Connected with one of the ties of the track at the side thereof adjacent the door section 13 and spaced a slight distance from the door, is an upstanding post and projecting from this post is a stub shaft 46 upon which is pivotally mounted a lever 47. This lever is formed with arms 48 and 49 respectively, which are disposed at right angles to each other, and a third arm 50 midway between the first armsi Connected at one end with. the free extremity of the arm 48 for adjustment longitudinally thereof, is a chain or other suitable flexible element 51. The opposite end of this chain is connected to the outer end of a segment arm 51 carried by a bracket 51 secured to the post 14 of the door section 13. The bracket 51" is, as shown in Fig. 1, provided at its ends with laterally directed lugs to the lowermost of which is secured the segment arm 34 of the door section 13 while the segment arm 51 is connected to the uppermost of the said lugs. Slidably adjustable upon the arm49 is a counterweight 52 and slidably adjustable upon the arm 50 is a second counterweight The chain 51 is of such length that when the door is closed the arm 50 and weight 53 will occupy a horizontal position so that this weight will exert a direct leverage upon the door tending to hold the door closed. On the other hand, when the door is open, the arm 49 and weight 52 will then be swung to horizontal position so that this weight will exert a direct leverage upon the door tending to close the door. In this way we provide an arrangement whereby quick closing of the door will be effected while, at the same time, the door will also be firmly held closed.

In operation, a car approaching the door from either direction will engage the inclined section 30 of one of the operating bars when the flanges of a pair of the wheels of the car at one side thereof will be received within the channel of the said bar section to depress this section of the bar and swing the section 29 thereof downwardly. Downward movement of this operating bar will, as will be understood in view of the preceding description, act to open the door and hold the door open as the car progresses. Upon the passage of the, car through the door frame, the flanges of the pair of wheels at the opposite side of the car will be received within the channel of the operating bar at the opposite side of the door for thus maintaining the door open until the car has passed beyond the door over the latter operating bar, when the door will be released to be automatically closed. e thus provide a very effective construction for the purpose set forth. At the same time, pedestrians may readily operate the door to. pass therethrough by simply pushing against the proper door section and since the door sections are mounted to swing in opposite directions, pressure in the mine tunnel upon the door will be equalized by the said sections.

In Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, we have illustrated a modified form of the invention. In these figures the mine track is indicated at 54. One rail of the track is indicated at C and the other rail at D. Erected'over the track is a door frame 55. This door frame is identical with that disclosed in the preferred construction and carries the swinging door sections 56 which are also identical with the door sections of the preferred embodiment of the invention and are mounted in a similar manner. Similar op erating structure for thedoor is mounted at each side thereof. The structure at one side of the door only will, therefore, be particularly taken up. This operating structure includes an operating bar formed of an L-shaped inner section 57 and a flat inclined outer section 58 pivotally connected to the inner section by the T-head of an arm 59. A similar arm 60 is disposed adjacent the inner end of the section 57. In this connection it will be noted that in the preferred construction we disclose the use of a channel shaped operating bar which is mounted to swingat the inner side of one of the track rails. in this modification, an L-shaped operating bar is employed, as just stated, and this bar is mounted to swing at the outer side of the rail (1 for engagement by the wheel treads of a mine car. Coextensive with the length of the operating bar, the rail '0 is, as shown in detail in Fig. 8, L-shaped in cross section so that the operating bar may fit close against the outer side thereof when moved to a position flush with the rail. The section 58 of the operating bar is free at its outer end and is retained in alinement with the section 57 by an angle plate 61 extending between a pair of adjacent ties of the track, this angle plate serving to guide the free end of the said section over a supporting roller (39 carried by an angle plate 63 secured beneath the rail C. Supporting the operating bar for swinging movement is a pair of hinge elements, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 9. Each of these hinge elements includes a hinge plate 6% bolted or otherwise secured to one of the ties of the track at the outer side of the rail G and provided with spaced hinge cars 65. Mounted upon the hinge plate is a hinge member 66 in the nature of a squared sleeve provided with lugs 67 mating with the lugs 65 of th' plate 64: and pivotally connected therewith by a pivot rod 68. Projecting from the sleev 66 at one end thereof, is a slotted arm 69 and slidable within the said sleeve is a squared shaft 70 projecting laterally at the adjacent side of the track and held at al.- justment by a suitable set bolt 71. is shown in Fig. 7, the slotted arms 69 of elements are arranged to pivotallv the lower ends, of the arms the ope-rating bar for thus supper. bar for swinging movement upon elements and connected with the outer ends of the shafts 70 of these elements are upwardly directed arms 22 formed at their lower ends with squared sleeves adjustably engaged upon theshafts. By employing the sleeves upon the hinge members so, we are enabled to form the shaft 70 of a size suflicient to properly withstand the stress from the operating bar and at the same time we are enabled to use relatively small rods 68 for pivotally connecting these hinge members with the hinge'plates 64, the u e of the small. pivot rods, of course, re cing friction between the hinge men-hers and hinge plates. will be seen, these same observations applv to the hinge elements shown in the pi red constructon. arms 72 are inclined forwardly toward their upper ends with respect to the axes of the shafts 70 and the arm adjacent the door is connected with the stirrup of a shock ab sorbing device 73 while the other arm, at its upper end, receives a rod 7% connecting the hinge members for simultaneous swingsesame;

movement. The shock absorbing device 7 is identical with that shown in the preferred construction and is connected with the door in a similar manner. T he rod T l is also identical with the corresponding rod of the preferred construction, Also, as in the preferred construction, the operating structure at one side of the door is arranged adjacent one side of the track while the operating structure at the other side of the door is arranged adjacent the opposite side of the track. Thus, a mine car approaching the door from either direction will upon one of the operating bars for openthe door and will then pass into engage ment with the other operating arm for holding the door open until the car has cleared such latter bar.

Mounted at one side of the track adjacent the door is a post 75 corresponding to the post 45 of the preferred construction. Projecting from the post 75 is a stub shaft 76 upon which is mounted a bell crank having arms 77 and 78 respectively. Connected at one end with the arm 77 is a chain or other suitable flexible element 79 corresponding to the chain 57 of the preferred construction, and connected at its opposite end with the door in a similar manner. Slidably adjustable upon the arm 78 of the bell crank is a counterweight 80. Thus, when the door is open, this weight will be lifted to a substantially horizontal position for automatically closing the door and normally will hold the door closet.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A device of the character described including a door, an operating bar, hinge elements swingingly supporting said bar, an

operative connection between the bar and door including cushioning means for interrupting between the bar and door shock upon the bar, and means connected with the door for normally holding the door closed,

thebar being movable by a car approaching the door for opening the door.

2. A device of the character described including a door, an operating bar, hinge elemonts swingingly supporting the bar and including complemental hinge members, an operative connection between one of said hinge members and the door and including a flexible element connected with the door, and means connected with the door for normally holding the door closed and maintaining the bar elevated, the bar being adapted for engagement by a car approaching the door for depressing the bar to open the door.

A device of the character described including a door, means operatively connected with the door and engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, and means for normally holding the door closed, said latter means including swinging 1 door is open and the other adapted to occupy a substantially horizontal position whenthe door is closed. y

4. A, device of the character described including a door, means operatively connected with the door and engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, and means for normally holding the door closed, the said latter means including counterweights mounted to swing about a common center and one adapted to occupy a position substantially in a horizontal plane with the said center when the door is open and the other adapted to occupy a position substantially in a horizontal plane with said center when the door is closed.

5. A device of the character described including a door, means operatively connected with the door and engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, a pivoted lever having a plurality of radial arms, an operative connection between one of said arms and the door, and counterweights carried by the other of said arms and acting upon the lever for normally holding the door closed.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a sectional door, means connecting the door sections for simulta neous swinging movement in opposite directions, and operating mechanism operatively connected with the door and engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, of means for normally holding the door closed, the said means including counterweights mounted to swing about a common center and one adapted tooccupy a position substantially in a horizontal plane with said center when the door is open and the other adapted to occupy a position substantially in a horizontal plane with said center when the door is closed.

7. A device of the character described including a door, operating means therefor, an operative connection between said means and the door including cushioning means for in terrupting between the first means-and the door shock upon the first means, and means for normally holding the door closed, said operating means being engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door.

8. A device of the character described including a door, operating means therefor, an operative connection between said means and the door including shock absorbing means comprising a stirrup connected with said operating means, a rod slidable upon the stirrup and connected with the door, and yieldable means interposed between the stirrup and said rod and resisting sliding movement of the rod, and means connected with the door for normally holding the door closed, the operating means being engageable by a car approaching the door for opening. the door.

l 9. A device of the character described in cluding a door, operating means therefor, an

operative connection between said means and the door includinga segment arm'connected with the door, and a flexible element connected at one end with said arm and norinally bearing thereagainst, the element being connected at its opposite end with said operating means, and means for normally holding the door closed, the operatlng means being engaged by a car approaching the door ment connected at one end with said lattersegment arm and at. its opposite end with said last mentioned means, the operating means being engageable by a. car approaching a door for opening the door. a 11. Adevice of the character ClGSCI'lbBCl 1ncluding a door, means operatively connected ,with the door and engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, and means for normally holding the door closed including a swinging counterweight adapted to occupy a substantially horizonta position when the door is opened.

p 12. A device of the character described including a doom-means operatively connected with the door and engageable by a car ap-- proaching the door for opening the door, and means for normally holding the door closed, said latter means including a swingingly mounted arm, and a counterweightcarried by saidarm and movable thereby to occupy a substantially horizontal position when the door is open.

. 13. A device of the character described including a door, means operatively connected with the door andengageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door, and means for normally holding the doorclosed,

said latter means including a pivoted lever door is open.

14:. A device of the character described including a door, an operating bar, hinge elements swingingly supporting said bar and each including a hinge plate, a hinge member comprising a sleeve provided at its ends With lugs pivotally connected With the plate, and a slotted arm extending from said sleeve and connected with the bar shafts mounted in the sleeves of said hinge members, arms carried by said shafts and operatively connected With the door, and means for normally holding the door closed, the bar being engageable by a car approaching the door for opening the door. m

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

CHARLES L. BOWMAN. [11. 8.] JOHN J. BODY. [n s] 

